Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for processing and displaying three-dimensional medical image data.
Description of the Related Art
Three-dimensional volume data is the mainstream of medical image data of recent years. In diagnostic imaging, a doctor consecutively switches and displays (scroll display) cross-sectional images to check whether there is an abnormal shadow. When the doctor finds an abnormal shadow in the diagnostic imaging, the doctor repeatedly scrolls and displays cross-sectional images around the cross-sectional images including the abnormal shadow and adjusts display parameters to figure out features of the abnormal shadow based on detailed observation. The doctor inputs the features of the abnormal shadow as imaging findings and selects a cross-sectional image that represents the abnormal shadow (for example, a cross-sectional image with the largest abnormal shadow) to organize a report by attaching the cross-sectional image.
In diagnostic imaging, more detailed diagnosis has become possible by the formation of three-dimensional image data. However, the doctor needs to select a cross-sectional image from three-dimensional image data to display a two-dimensional cross-sectional image or to organize a report, and the burden of the doctor is increasing. Inventions for reducing the burden of the doctor in the series of operations have been proposed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-143982 proposes a method of automatically adjusting display parameters based on image feature quantities in a region of interest. Furthermore, an example of a general method includes a method of obtaining the center of gravity of a region of interest in three-dimensional image data to display cross-sectional images of cross sections passing through the center of gravity.
In recent years, an inference technique of an image diagnosis using an SVM (Support Vector Machine), an ANN (Artificial Neural Network) or a Bayesian network is studied. The doctor can refer to the image diagnosis calculated using the inference technique, and an effect of improving the reliability of the image diagnosis can be expected.
However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-143982 is directed to an arrangement for adjusting the display parameters according to the situations in a checkup or in a thorough examination, and cross-sectional images cannot be selected from the three-dimensional image data in this arrangement. Even if the method of selecting a cross-sectional image passing through the center of gravity of a region of interest in the three-dimensional image data is used to select the cross-sectional image to be displayed, the cross-sectional image may not always be the cross-sectional image representing the abnormal shadow. Eventually, the doctor needs to select the cross-sectional image, and the burden of the doctor cannot be reduced.
As described, the doctor determines the imaging finding and the image diagnosis based on knowledge and experience of the doctor, and there is a problem that the determination is not always highly objective. The doctor usually performs the diagnostic imaging alone, and it is difficult for the doctor to notice that the doctor has overlooked or falsely observed an imaging finding. Therefore, there is a problem that the diagnosis is not always highly reliable. An effect of reducing the oversight of an abnormal shadow can be expected using a technique of Japanese Patent No. 3085724. An effect of improving the reliability of the image diagnosis can also be expected using the inference technique. However, in any of the related art, support information for improving the objectivity and the reliability of an imaging finding related to a discovered abnormal shadow cannot be obtained.